Fuel cells are required to make FTL Jumps, besides working Engines and a manned Cockpit. Each jump between beacons costs 1 Fuel, including backtracking to previously visited ones (If you are jumping to multiple previously visited beacons, you may be able to reduce fuel consumption by having the Augmentation, Adv. FTL Navigation).

All ships start with exactly 16 Fuel, which can be refueled at any time at stores, claimed as rewards for defeating enemies or accepting bribes, or by trading Missiles and/or Drone Parts at certain locations, most commonly Exit Beacons.

If the player attempts to perform an FTL Jump with no Fuel remaining, the Sector Map will spell out "NO FUEL" and will instead offer the option to Wait for one turn, with the Rebels advancing the same distance as they would after a regular FTL Jump. A Distress signal can be initiated at this moment, which increases the chances of having a vessel arrive to either trade their fuel or fight.

No Fuel!

Fuel can be bought in stores for 3 . Refuel stations will always sell for 2 . Fuel can also be traded for resources or purchased from other ships in random events.

According to the game, the Fuel cells are required only for FTL Jumps, since the Impulse Engines on ships allow for flight around beacons themselves, but not between them.

Pro tip: You are very likely to have to buy fuel at shops raw even on Easy, much less Med/Hard. And running out of fuel and "waiting" can be a fairly huge set-back in terms of lost loot (unless a rare case of waiting with nowhere but zone exit to go). Therefore pay serious attention to fuel reserves, buy out at refuel stations, value offers of surrender and other "optional loot" offerings with amounts of fuel and be wary of giving it away unless far on the fat side with it.

Only one missile is consumed when a missile-based weapon is fired, including for the Pegasus Missile Weapon (launches two volleys) and Swarm Missiles Weapon (can launch up to three volleys). You may be able to reduce missile consumption by having the Augment Explosive Replicator, which provides a 50% chance of not consuming a missile.

Missiles can be bought in stores for 6 , and sold in selling missile stations and other trade events. They are also randomly awarded after defeating ships, with a higher chance from ships with missile weapons.

There seems to be practically no middle ground with missiles; either your setup uses them scarcely if at all, in which case you've got useless stockpiles, or it's a part of your routine and you always feel a nudging deficit. Even in latter cases avoid overspending to the point of shop-buying, because 6 each adds up, and shooting more worth at a target than that which you loot from it may be a path of enlightenment, though never of enrichment.

Drone parts can be bought from stores for 8 , and are sold in selling drone parts stations and other trade events. They are also randomly awarded upon defeating ships, and can be recovered after use with the Drone Recovery Arm augment, with a higher chance from ships with Drone Control stations.

Drone parts used via Hacking can't be recovered, even if the enemy ship isn't destroyed.

The Hull Repair Drone converts a Drone Part to on average 4 hull hit points, effectively 2 per hp at any stage at the game, even when shops offer 4 rate.